He Compared Me To My Father’s Mistress’s Daughter Chapter 04

He Compared Me To My Father’s Mistress’s Daughter Chapter 04

My mother stood in the doorway, panting. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

“Aria. I was worried you and Cameron got into a fight. I followed you here.”

She limped her way inside.

When she spotted Damian near the coffee table, relief washed over her face. “Oh, Damian. You’re here too. Good. You young people should talk things out. No need to keep fighting.”

Damian smiled. “Don’t worry. We weren’t fighting.”

That was when my mother saw Sienna, hovering just behind him.

I grabbed her hand. “Mom. Let me take you back to Pine Ridge.”

She pushed me aside, suspicion narrowing her eyes. “Damian. Who is this girl?”

Sienna laughed and stepped right up to my mother, looking her up and down.

“Oh, Mrs. Donovan. Your memory’s really going, isn’t it? My mom and you were such good friends. How can you not recognize me?”

All the color drained from my mother’s face. “You. What are you doing here?”

Sienna’s hand drifted to her own stomach.

Your precious daughter’s just like you. Can’t keep a man. I’m carrying Damian’s baby. The doctor says it’s a boy.”

Something snapped.

I put every ounce of strength I had into slapping Sienna across the face.

She staggered, then screamed and lunged at me. “You bitch! How dare you hit me!”

My mother scrambled to pull her off, hands trembling. “Stop, please don’t hurt Aria…”

Damian rushed forward and shoved me back. “Aria, that’s enough!”

Sienna clutched her stomach, her voice suddenly weak. “Damian… my belly hurts so bad…”

He scooped her up and ran for the door.

Cameron followed, tense, and shot me a look as he passed. “Aria. You went way too far this time.”

I bit down on my lip and swallowed the tears.

My mother’s voice came from behind me. “Aria…”

I spun around.

She was collapsed on the floor, convulsing. Blood soaked through the front of her shirt.

I threw myself down beside her and wrapped my arms around her. “Mom! Mom, what’s happening?”

I dialed 911. Every ambulance was already out on call.

So I hauled her onto my back and ran into the street until I flagged down a cab.

At Fairview General, I burst through the emergency room doors with my mother in my arms.

The ER was empty. I grabbed a nurse hurrying past. “Please, I need a doctor. My mother’s in critical condition.”

The nurse shook her head. “Every doctor in the hospital’s been pulled by Mr. Vance. He’s got them all on VIP prenatal bed rest for his wife. You’ll have to come back tomorrow.”

My brain went blank.

I sprinted toward the room the nurse had indicated and flung myself inside. “Damian! My mom collapsed! Please, get a doctor to save her!”

He stared at me with cold, flat eyes. “Aria. What kind of act is this? You’d really use your mother’s life just to get my attention?”

Tears streamed down my face. “Damian, I’m telling the truth!”

He frowned, annoyed, and was about to wave over some random doctor,

But Sienna, perched like a queen on her hospital bed surrounded by staff, pouted.

“No. She still hasn’t apologized to me. Make her get on her knees and beg. Three times.”

I looked at Damian, my eyes burning. He looked away.

“Aria. She’s right. Just apologize.”

For my mother, I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.

And I dropped to my knees. 　　“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I shouldn’t have pushed you.”

I spoke the words and slammed my forehead into the floor. Once. Twice. Three times. Blood slid into my eyes.

I lifted my head and stared at Damian, silent.

“Is that enough? Can you save my mother now?”

Red dripped down my temple.

Something twisted hard in Damian’s chest. He grabbed the nearest doctor and shoved him my way. “Fine. Go check on Mrs. Donovan.”

Relief flooded through me. I grabbed the doctor’s arm and ran.

But the second the doctor saw my mother, his face changed.

He listened for her heartbeat. Checked her eyes. Then he let out a long breath.

“Why did you wait so long? It’s too late. Her pupils are fixed and dilated. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

The world tilted. I dropped to my knees at his feet. “No. Doctor, please. I’m begging you. Save her. I can’t lose her.”

The next second, everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital bed.

Damian was staring down at me.

“You’re awake.”

I looked at his face. For a moment, I could almost see the boy who’d saved me from my father all those years ago.

He spoke like he was granting me a favor. “Aria. Stop bullying Sienna. If you want a baby, we’ll have one.”

A hollow laugh escaped my lips.

“Damian.”

“You don’t deserve to be loved.”

I ripped the IV needle out of my hand and walked slowly to the window.

He frowned. “Aria. What are you doing? I forgave you. What more do you want?”

I leaned against the windowsill.

“Damian. In the next life, don’t you dare find me again.”

Real panic finally broke across his face. “Aria, don’t!”

I turned around.

And I let myself fall.

Down below, Cameron, leaning against the wall and smoking, froze. He watched me plummet right in front of him.